Sighting attachment for firearms.



No. 803,791. I PATENTED NOV. 7,1905.

w. P. SHATTUGK.

. SIGHTING ATTACHMENT FOR FIREARMS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1904.

IUNITED STATES LPATENT FFICE- WILLIAM P. SHATTUCK, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR or.

JONE-HALF TO ALFRED F. PILLSBURE-CHARLES S. PILLSBURY, AND

JOHN S. PILLSBURY, JR, OF MINNEAPOLIS; MINNESOTA.

sleH'rme ATTACHMENT F'oRFmEA Ms.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. SHATTUOK,

shoulder of the user, who then sights along the gun-barrel and brings the sights on the barrel and the target or object to be fired at in line or draws a bead on the object. Many persons, however, find-it exceedingly dificult to quickly bring the gun-stock into the proper position so that the gun may be accurately sighted. If the user does not bring both sights on the gun-barrel and the target or object to be hit in line, he will not hit the target. It frequently occurs that the user of such a firearm will bring the forward sight on the gun-barrel in a line between his eye and the target without bringing the rear sight also in line, and I find that the greatest cause of poor shooting comes from this fact. When ever the user of a gun or rifle brings it into proper position so that the rear sight on the gun-barrel, the forward sight, and the target or object to be hit are in line, the gun will be properly sighted. I provide means whereby even an inexperienced marksman can always bring the breech or rear end of the gun into exactly the same position, and the gun having been once properly sighted he will thereafter have no difliculty and it will require no effort for him to bring the breech of the gun into proper position, and all that he will need to do will be to point the forward sight at the target or object to be hit. 1

My invention consists. broadly, in a firearm provided with means fitted to and adapted to be held in the mouth of the user for the purpose of positioning the eye in relation to the firearm:

My invention consists, further, in the constructions and combinations hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 27,1904. Seri N 222,380.

' Patented Nov. 7. 1905.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of'this specification, Figure-1 is a perspective view of a firearm, (rifle or shotgun) showing my inventionapplied thereto and illustrating the manner of using the same. Fig. 2 is a side'elevation of a portion of a gunstock, partly broken away, showing the invention applied thereto. Fig; 3 is an underside view of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail plan of a portion-of a gun-stock, showing my inventionapplied thereto.

In all of the drawings, 1 represents a portion of the stock'of a gun, rifle, or similar small firearm. 2 represents a portion of the barrel thereof. This barrel is provided with the usual forward sight 3, which may be of any usual or preferred construction. The barrel may be provided with a rear sight, or such-sight may be omitted, as preferred.

4 represents a plate adapted to be received in the mouth of the user and to be firmly grasped by his teeth. This plate is prefer-' ably provided with a recess both on the upper'and lower sides, having a c u'rved forward on tline corresponding to the circle of the teeth. (See Figs. 1 and 5.) The plate may be covered with leather, rubber, or other suitable material, or, if preferred, such covering may be omitted. I have found it desirable to provide upon the lower and upper surfaces of the plate a covering of vulcanite having a permanentimpression of the teeth of the user formed therein. This may be accomplished by having the material when in a soft condition applied to the plate and then having the user grasp the same firmly with his teeth, making 'material without having these impressions formed therein, while the plate may be brought back always to substantially the same position, no such accuracy of position will be obtained as when the permanent impressions in coverings of vulcanite are provided. I pro-- vide means for securing this plate firmly and rigidly to the stock of the gun, so that when the plate is brought into the proper position in the mouth of the user the butt of the gunstock will be in the proper position upon his shoulder and the rear end 'of the gun-barrel will be in proper position in reference to his eye, and each time the gun is used these parts will be always brought into exactly the same position. I also provide means whereby the plate will not be moved or affected by the recoil from the discharge of the gun. The plate is provided with a suitable stem or shank5. This shank is secured in a stud 6 by means of a suitable set-screw 7 This stud is secured upon a plate 8, that is adapted to slide vertically upon the upright part 9 of the attaching-bar 10. -A set-screw 11- is provided in the plate 8, by which means said plate may be adjusted and secured in any desired position upon the upright 9.

The attaching-bar 10 consists, preferably. of a short bar that is arranged in a longitudinal recess in the underside of the gun-stock. I prefer to provide two slotted studs 13 and 14, preferably screwed into the gun-stock, as shown in Fig. 2, and to. arrange the attaching-bar 10 so that it is held in the slots in the studs. For the purpose of preventing the rear end of the bar from dropping out of the stud I prefer to provide a pin 17, that passes through -the stud below the bar and holds the bar in position. The forward end of the bar is preferably formed integrally with the upright 9, to which the adjustable plate 8 is secured, as already described. This upright eXtends close to the gun-stock, and its upper end is bent over the top of the gun-stock and is provided with a backwardly-extending slotted portion 15. A screw 16 passes through this'slotted portion into the top of the gunstock or into a threaded stud 18, inserted in a recess in the top ofsaid gun-stock. (See Fig. 1.) A spring 12 is preferably arranged above the bar 10 in a recess in the gun-stock, one end of the spring being connected to the gun-stock and the other to the bar 10.

With .the devices above described attached to the gun and properly adjusted all that the user has to do'is to bring the gun to his shouls der and grasp the plate 4 with his teeth. The act of doing this will bring the butt of the gun and the rear end of the barrel into proper po sition, and every time that he uses the gun it will be bebrought into exactly the same position. Then all that the user has to do is to point the forward end of the gun-barrel toward the target or object to be fired at and bring the forward sight in a line between his eye and such target or object. It will therefore be easy for any person, whether skilled or unskilled, to take accurate aim with any small firearm having sighting deviceattached thereto. Owing to the arrangement of the attaching-bar in a longitudinal groove or re- 1 cess in the gun-stock and the spring connectiontherewith the recoil of the gun will produce no shock or jar upon the teeth or mouth 5 of the user.

The invention is applicable to small firearms of any kind or description and may be applied thereto ina number of ways. I therefore do not confine myself to the application of the 7 device to any particular form of firearmsor to any particular construction of plate or arrangement of devices for connecting it to the firearm,1ntend1ng to secure,broadly,anys1ghting device applied to any form of firearm and 7 5 V employing a plate or similar device adapted to be grasped and held in the mouth of the 'user of-the firearm or any sighting-guide that mouth of the user and means connecting said plate with the rear portion of the firearm.

2. The combination, with a firearm, of a 9 plate fitted to and adapted to be grasped and held in the mouth of the user of the firearm, and a slidable connection between said plate and said firearm.

3. Thecombination,withasuitablefirearm, of a plate fitted to and adapted to be grasped and held in the mouth of the user of the firearm, and an adjustable connection between said plate and said firearm.

4. The combination, witha suitable firearm, I00 of a plate fitted to and adapted to be grasped and held in the mouth of the user of the firearm, and means connecting said plate with the firearm and preventing the recoil of the firearm being communicated to said plate.

5. The combination, with a suitable firearm, of a plate provided upon its surfaces with impressions made by the teeth of the user, and means connecting said plate withthe firearm, for the purpose set forth.

6. A sighting device provided with a plate fitted to and adapted to be held in the mouth of the user, for the purpose set forth.

7. A sighting-guide fitted to and adapted to be held in the mouth of the user, and a yield- 5 ing connection between said guide and the device that is to be sighted.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of August, 1904.

WILLIAM P. SHATTUCK.

In presence of A. C. PAUL, O. G. HANSON.

IIO 

